Covers for paint rollers

ABSTRACT

A re-usable, shed-resistant roller cover for use with paint and other heavy liquids is provided. This roller cover includes a non-woven, woven, or knit surface material adapted to be used with paint rollers, wherein the surface material is substantially free of texture, and wherein the surface material further includes a plurality of fibers, wherein the plurality of fibers further comprise natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof; and wherein the plurality of fibers have been interconnected with one another by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means, solvent means, sonic means, or combinations thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 11/151,166, filed on Jun. 10, 2005 and entitled “Non-WovenPaint Roller Covers” which claimed the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 60/639,830 filed on Dec. 28, 2004 andentitled “Non-Woven Paint Roller Covers”, the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to painting implements usefulfor the application of paints, stains, solvents and other priming orfinishing liquids, and more particularly to roller covers for use withpaint rollers and the like, wherein the roller covers partially orwholly comprise non-woven materials. The roller covers of this inventionare useful for painting a variety of surfaces, including walls,ceilings, and floors of various compositions and textures. These rollercovers also exhibit certain desirable characteristics, such as theability to absorb or otherwise capture the paint or other material to beapplied from a reservoir of liquid (typically a roller tray), theability to retain suitable amounts of such material as the roller ismoved from such reservoir to a point near the surface to be painted orotherwise coated, and the ability to release the material being appliedas the roller rotates while in contact with surface to be coated.

Commercially available paint roller covers are typically designed forattachment to a substantially cylindrical rotating cage or frame and areusually manufactured in predetermined sizes and lengths. Furthermore,the material from which the roller cover is constructed is oftenimpervious to the liquids to be applied and can usually be cleaned aftera single use so that at least one re-use of the roller cover ispossible. Roller cover material is typically manufactured in varyingdensities and thickness, i.e., pile, so as to be suitable for thespecific fluid characteristics of the paint or other material being usedand for the nature of the surface to be coated or otherwise treated. Forobvious reasons, any tendency of roller cover material to shed ordeposit, during application, small fibers or threads from the exteriorportion of the paint roller onto the surface being coated is highlyundesirable.

Prior art paint rollers are usually made of one or more knitted fabricsthat are constructed by twisting thousands of fibers into strands thatare then knitted or otherwise attached to a backing material. Certainother roller covers are made from woven materials fabricated on loomsand then attached to a backing layer of one type or another. Bothknitted and woven fabrics have the tendency to shed to varying degreesdepending on the depth and density of the fabric, the characteristics ofthe coating material being applied, and the character of the surfacebeing coated. Moreover, the manufacture of knitted and woven materialsis often labor-intensive, thereby resulting in higher overall costs andreduced profitability. Thus, the composition of roller covers and themethods of manufacture associated therewith, both impact the ability tomake quality roller covers at affordable prices. Ideally, paint rollercovers are inexpensive and reusable so as to be accessible either by theprofessional or the layperson using such products. Thus, there is a needfor an alternate roller cover material that does not shed, that can beused to make roller covers quickly and inexpensively, and that meetsother predetermined or pre-identified quality criteria andcharacteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following provides a summary of certain exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention. This summary is not an extensive overview and is notintended to identify key or critical aspects or elements of the presentinvention or to delineate its scope. Deficiencies in and of the priorart are overcome by the present invention, the exemplary embodiments ofwhich provide inexpensive, re-usable, shed-resistant roller covers foruse with paint and other heavy liquids. Essentially, this invention isdirected to a roller cover that utilizes and incorporates non-wovenmaterials into certain functional and structural aspects of the rollercover, i.e., the exterior covering and/or the core material to which theexterior covering is attached. The present invention includes at leastfive exemplary embodiments of non-woven roller covers.

A first general embodiment comprises a single outer surface, layer, ply,or web of non-woven, woven, or knit material that replaces the fabricsutilized by other roller covers. This embodiment includes an optionalsubstrate material or backing material to which the non-woven materialis bound and a rigid core comprising non-woven material or othermaterial. The stable substrate provides a degree of dimensionalstability to the roller cover and prevents or reduces “necking” that canresult in the formation of gaps on the roller core. The rigid coreprovides structural support to the roller cover. In this and otherembodiments, the non-woven roller cover material may be spirally wrappedonto the core using known roller construction technology. A secondgeneral embodiment comprises an outer layer of sliver knitted or wovenmaterial, a substrate to which the knit or woven material is bound, anda core to which the substrate is bound. In this embodiment, the corecomprises non-woven material and is flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid inconsistency. A third general embodiment comprises at least two outerlayers or plies of non-woven material, which may be the same ordifferent non-woven materials and which may be attached to one anotherby chemical, mechanical, or other means. This embodiment includes anoptional substrate material to which the non-woven composite is boundand a core comprising non-woven material or other material. A fourthgeneral embodiment comprises a single or multi-ply knitted, woven, ornon-woven flexible and collapsible sleeve and does not include asubstrate or core. A fifth general embodiment comprises a single ormulti-ply knitted, woven, or non-woven flexible and collapsible sleeveadapted for use with a roller cage or frame that includes an optionalcore integrated with the roller cage or frame.

Additional features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading andunderstanding the following detailed description of the exemplaryembodiments. As will be appreciated, further embodiments of theinvention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention. Accordingly, the associated descriptions are to beregarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are now described andalthough the following detailed description contains many specifics forthe purposes of illustration, a person of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that many variations and alterations to the following detailsare within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the followingembodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss ofgenerality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimedinvention. In the exemplary embodiments described herein, the rollercovers of the present invention are substantially cylindrical in shapeand are intended for use with standard paint rollers and frames. Thischaracteristic should not be construed in a limiting sense becausenon-woven materials may be incorporated into painting implements havingother configurations and geometries. The non-woven roller coverscontemplated by this invention typically include an even or“homogeneous” surface that is substantially free of texture, i.e., thesurface of the roller cover does not necessarily include apre-determined three-dimensional pattern or any other surfacecharacteristic which might create a visible image or geometric textureon the surface being treated.

With respect to this invention, the term “non-woven” refers to a sheet,matrix, or web of fabric or material that is created by bonding and/orinterlocking fibers, yarns, or filaments using mechanical, thermal,chemical, solvent means, or other means. The term “fiber” is used in itsgeneric sense, and refers to yarns, threads, filaments, and the like, aswell as to actual fibers. In various embodiments of the presentinvention, the non-woven web includes or may include multiple blends ofnatural and/or synthetic fiber or filaments including, but not limitedto, single component or bi-component fibers, filaments or yarns ofvarying weight, cross section or thickness, density, elongation, tensilestrength, shrinkage, air permeability, Taber abrasion, denier, staplelength, structure, and melt characteristics. The term “denier” refers tothe weight in grams of 9,000 meters of a filament or yarn. “Staplelength” refers to fiber/filament cut length. In one or more exemplaryembodiments of this invention, the non-woven material includes a denierof about 0.8 to 40; a cut length from about 0.2 inches to 7.5 inchesplus continuous filament; a tenacity of about 1.0 to 7.5 grams/denier,an elongation of about 10% to 125%; a heat set temperature of about 0°C. to 200° C.; and a shrinkage of about 0% to 10%. Other ranges andvalues are possible and will be determined by the particular combinationof fibers used to create non-woven materials that are intended fordifferent applications.

In all embodiments of the present invention, the various non-wovenfabrics or webs include or may include multiple blends of natural and/orsynthetic fiber or filaments including, but not limited to, singlecomponent or bi-component fibers, filaments or yarns of various crosssections, deniers, staple lengths, structure, and melt characteristics.The fiber or filaments may be of natural origin or they may be any ofthe synthetic fibers The natural fibers that are compatible with presentinvention include: wool, cotton, flax, and silk fibers and combinationsthereof. The synthetic fibers that are compatible with the presentinvention include: polyester (polyethylene terepthalate), polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, rayon, acetate,PCT, PETG, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, a heat-setfiber or a “binder” fiber is incorporated into the fiber web. Thisbinder fiber acts as an inter-fiber adhesive because the softening pointof the binder fiber is typically less than the other fibers it isblended with. Therefore, including binder fibers in a non-woven blendresults in a more uniform bonded structure when the non-woven materialis exposed to a low temperature by fusing the binder fiber with theadjacent synthetic or natural fibers. The inclusion of a binder fiberalso holds or stabilizes the pile of the roller cover and reducesshrinkage of the roller cover during the assembly process.

In embodiments of the present invention that include a substrate in theform of a stable backing material, the substrate may includeindividually or in combination: paper, phenolic impregnated paper,olefin sheets, urethane foams, fabric or cloth, metallic(s),elastomer(s), non-woven or similar materials. Other materials arepossible. The cover materials may be bonded to the substrate bymechanical, chemical, or other means including, but not limited to,resin bonding, saturation print, spray, foam (polyester, polyether,etc.), powder bonding, fusion, thermal, sonic, air, calender, or spunlace (hydro-entanglement), or combinations thereof.

In embodiments wherein the cover material, either with or without asubstrate is attached to a tubular core, the core may include, but isnot limited to, the following materials: non-woven materials, fabric,wood; paper; impregnated phenolic resin paper; silica; metal (andsimilar materials); paper/olefin composites; olefin sheets; polyolefinsheets; extruded plastic such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, PVC,TPR, TPE, nylon, glass filled nylon, and acetal; plastic ribbon/sheet,such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, PVC, TPR, TPE, nylon, glassfilled nylon, and acetal. The cover material with or without a substratemay be bonded to the core materials with, but not limited to, thefollowing materials: adhesives, such as epoxy, urethanes,cyanoacrylates, hot melts, and solvents; thermoplastic resins, such aspolypropylene, polyethylene, TPR, TPE, PET, PVC, nylon, and acetal;powder bonding; thermal fusion; radio waves, UV, ultrasound, andmicrowaves; mechanical bonding; and chemical fusion.

Having generally described this invention, a further understanding canbe obtained by reference to certain specific examples detailed below,which are provided for purposes of illustration only and are notintended to be all inclusive or limiting unless otherwise specified.

The first general embodiment of this invention comprises a single outerlayer or ply of non-woven material that replaces the knitted or wovenfabrics utilized by other roller covers. This embodiment includes anoptional substrate material to which the non-woven material is bound anda core comprising non-woven material or other material. The single outerlayer comprises a substantially continuous web of non-woven materialthat may or may not include a stable substrate, i.e., backing materialas part of the roller cover. Inclusion of a stable substrate provides adegree of dimensional stability to the roller cover and prevents orreduces “necking” which can result in the formation of gaps on theroller core. This non-woven web is typically manufactured to be slit orcut into appropriate configurations that can be effectively incorporatedinto a paint roller. The non-woven web may be spirally wrapped usingknown roller construction technology (see below).

With regard to exemplary fibers that are compatible with the covercomponent of this embodiment, such fibers may include blends of naturaland synthetic fibers produced from renewable or non-renewable sourcesincluding, but not limited to the following: polyesters, polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, acetate, PCT,PETG, biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starchbased biodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, PTT fiber, PLA fiber,recycled polyester (post industrial, post consumer or combinationsthereof), cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regeneratedcellulose (e.g., Rayon, Lyocell), wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers,kenaf, bagasse, elastoester, elasterelle-P, PTAT (polytetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate; a biodegradable elastic polyester), spandex,elastan, elastomeric fiber, filaments, or yarns (including binder fiberand splittable bi-component segmented fibers), and combinations thereof.

The optional substrate component is typically provided in the form of astable backing material and may include: paper, phenolic impregnatedpaper, olefin sheets, urethane foams, fabric or cloth, metallic(s),elastomer(s), non-woven materials, or combinations thereof. Othermaterials are possible. The non-woven material may be attached or bondedto the substrate by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means,solvent means, sonic means, or other more specific means including, butnot limited to, resin bonding, saturation print, spray, foam (e.g.,polyester, polyether), powder bonding, fusion, air, calender, spun lace(hydro-entanglement), or combinations thereof.

The core component may include, but is not limited to, the followingmaterials: non-woven materials, fabric, wood; paper; impregnatedphenolic resin paper; silica; metal (and similar materials);paper/olefin composites; olefin sheets; polyolefin sheets; extrudedplastic such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylenetelephthalate(PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic rubber (TPR),thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), nylon, glass filled nylon, and acetal;plastic ribbon/sheet, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, PVC,TPR, TPE, nylon, glass filled nylon, and acetal. The non-woven materialmay be attached or bonded to the core by mechanical means, chemicalmeans, thermal means, solvent means, adhesive means, sonic means, orother more specific means that include the use of epoxy, urethanes,cyanoacrylates, hot melts, thermoplastic resins (such as polypropylene,polyethylene, TPR, TPE, PET, PVC, nylon, and acetal), powder bonding,radio waves, UV, ultrasound, and microwaves.

A first specific example of this first general embodiment provides ablend that comprises 90% 7-denier PET in a 76 mm staple length and 10%T-110 binder fiber. This blend is about 12 ounces per square yard and istypically gray in color. A second specific example of this generalembodiment of the non-woven material of the present invention provides ablend that comprises 90% 9-denier PET (high heat set and high crimp) ina 76 mm staple length and 10% T-110 binder fiber. This blend is about 12ounces per square yard and is typically white in color. A third specificexample of this first general embodiment of the non-woven material ofthe present invention provides a blend that comprises 45% 4.75-denierPET (high heat set and high crimp) in a 76 mm staple length; 45%6.70-denier PET (high heat set and high crimp) in a 76 mm staple length,10% T-110 binder fiber. This blend is typically white in color. Allthree of these exemplary blends may be fabricated in pile heights of 3mm, 5 mm, or 7 mm. Other pile heights are possible.

A second general embodiment of this invention comprises an outer layerof sliver knit, woven, or other material, a substrate or backing towhich the knit or woven material is bound or otherwise attached, and acore (which may also be referred to as a “sleeve”) to which thesubstrate is bound or otherwise attached. In this embodiment, the corecomprises non-woven material and is flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid inconsistency. The non-woven material that comprises the core in thisembodiment may be provided in spools or a similar ribbon-like form andis compatible with existing assembly and manufacturing technologies usedfor creating roller covers. The thickness, composition, and certainother characteristics of the material selected for the non-woven corewill typically determine the relative flexibility or rigidity of theroller cover. The core sleeve may be tubular or cylindrical, single ormultiple ply construction.

With regard to exemplary fibers that are compatible with this covercomponent of this embodiment, such fibers may include blends of naturaland synthetic fibers produced from renewable or non-renewable sourcesincluding, but not limited to the following: polyesters, polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, acetate, PCT,PETG, biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starchbased biodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, PTT fiber, PLA fiber,recycled polyester (post industrial, post consumer or combinationsthereof), cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regeneratedcellulose (e.g., Rayon, Lyocell), wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers,kenaf, bagasse, elastoester, elasterelle-P, PTAT (polytetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate; a biodegradable elastic polyester), spandex,elastan, elastomeric fiber, filaments, or yarns (including binder fiberand splittable bi-component segmented fibers), and combinations thereof.The nonwoven material including fabric, fiber, filaments, yarns, orbacking yarns may be coated or compounded with an infrared absorbingadditive, pigment, ink, dye, or photoinitiators including carbon black.

The substrate component is typically provided in the form of a stablebacking material and may include: paper, phenolic impregnated paper,olefin sheets, urethane foams, fabric or cloth, metallic(s),elastomer(s), non-woven materials, or combinations thereof. Othermaterials are possible. The non-woven material may be attached or bondedto the substrate by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means,solvent means, sonic means, or other more specific means including, butnot limited to, resin bonding, saturation print, spray, foam (e.g.,polyester, polyether), powder bonding, fusion, air, calender, spun lace(hydro-entanglement), or combinations thereof.

With regard to nonwoven cores, thermoplastic, thermoset, andbiodegradable materials are all compatible with the present invention.The exemplary cores used with this embodiment are typically manufacturedusing either spunbond, meltblown, spunlace (hydroentangeled), airlaid,wetlaid, highloft (crosslapped), needle punch, or spinlace techniques,or combinations thereof.

With regard to bonding, the outer layer of sliver knit fabric, wovenfabric, nonwoven, or other material may be attached or bonded to thecore (sleeve) by mechanical means, adhesive means, sonic means, lightmeans, or other specific means that include, but are not limited to, theuse of the following: adhesives, epoxies, urethanes, cyanoacrylates, hotmelts, reactive hot melts, thermoplastic resins (e.g., polypropylene,polyethylene, polyethylenephthalate (PET), thermoplastic elastomer(TPE), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, andacetal), flexible adhesives (including but not limited to elastomers),biodegradable polymers, biodegradable adhesives, starch basedbiodegradable polymers and adhesives, light activated adhesives, printbonding, electromagnetic wavelength, powder bonding, radio waves, UV,ultra sound, microwaves, saturation, and spray.

A first specific example of this second general embodiment provides ablend that comprises a core including a 2-ply thermoplastic nonwovenmaterial; 1-ply spunbond polyester (100 g/m²); 1-ply spunbond polyester(250 g/m²); a polypropylene adhesive; and a sliver knit fabric. A secondspecific example of this second general embodiment provides a blend thatcomprises a core including a 2-ply thermoplastic nonwoven material;1-ply spunbond polyester (180 g/m²); 1-ply spunbond polyester (250g/m²); polypropylene adhesive; and a sliver knit fabric. A thirdspecific example of this second general embodiment provides a blend thatcomprises a core including a 2-ply thermoplastic nonwoven material;1-ply spunbond polyester (250 g/m²); 1-ply spunbond polyester (250g/m²); a polypropylene adhesive; and a sliver knit fabric. A fourthspecific example of this second general embodiment provides a blend thatcomprises a core including a core including a 2-ply thermoset nonwovenmaterial; 1-ply wet laid nonwoven (160 g/m²); 1-ply wet laid nonwoven(160 g/m²); a polypropylene adhesive; and a sliver knit fabric. A fifthspecific example of this second general embodiment provides a blend thatcomprises a core including a core including a 2-ply thermoset nonwovenmaterial; 1-ply wet laid nonwoven (160 g/m²); 1-ply wet laid nonwoven(102 g/m²); a polypropylene adhesive; and a sliver knit fabric.

A third general embodiment of this invention comprises at least twoouter layers or plies of non-woven material, which may be the same ordifferent non-woven materials and which may be attached to one anotherby mechanical means, chemical, means adhesive means, sonic means, lightmeans, or other means. This embodiment includes an optional substratematerial to which the non-woven multi-web or composite is bound and acore comprising non-woven material or other material. In thisembodiment, the various layers of non-woven material may be selectedbased on expected or desired results, e.g., desired overall surfacetexture, or specific uses or applications, e.g., organic solvents vs.paint.

With regard to exemplary fibers that are compatible with the covercomponent of this embodiment, such fibers may include blends of naturaland synthetic fibers produced from renewable or non-renewable sourcesincluding, but not limited to the following: polyesters, polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, acetate, PCT,PETG, biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starchbased biodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, PTT fiber, PLA fiber,recycled polyester (post industrial, post consumer or combinationsthereof), cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regeneratedcellulose (e.g., Rayon, Lyocell), wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers,kenaf, bagasse, elastoester, elasterelle-P, PTAT (polytetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate; a biodegradable elastic polyester), spandex,elastan, elastomeric fiber, filaments, or yarns (including binder fiberand splittable bi-component segmented fibers), and combinations thereof.The nonwoven material including fabric, fiber, filaments, yarns, orbacking yarns may be coated or compounded with an infrared absorbingadditive, pigment, ink, dye, or photoinitiators including carbon black.

The optional substrate component is typically provided in the form of astable backing material and may include: paper, phenolic impregnatedpaper, olefin sheets, urethane foams, fabric or cloth, metallic(s),elastomer(s), non-woven materials, or combinations thereof. Othermaterials are possible. The non-woven material may be attached or bondedto the substrate by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means,solvent means, sonic means, or other more specific means including, butnot limited to, resin bonding, saturation print, spray, foam (e.g.,polyester, polyether), powder bonding, fusion, air, calender, spun lace(hydro-entanglement), or combinations thereof.

With regard to nonwoven cores, thermoplastic, thermoset, andbiodegradable materials are all compatible with the present invention.The exemplary cores included with this embodiment are typicallymanufactured using spunbond, meltblown, spunlace (hydroentangeled),airlaid, wetlaid, highloft (crosslapped), needle punch, or spinlacetechniques, or combinations thereof.

With regard to bonding, the core (sleeve) consists of at least two outerlayers or plies of nonwoven material (which may be the same or differentnonwoven materials) which may be attached or bonded to one another bymechanical means, adhesive means, sonic means, light means, or otherspecific means that include but not limited to the use of the following:adhesives, epoxies, urethanes, cyanoacrylates, hot melts, reactive hotmelts, thermoplastic resins (e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene,polyethylenephthalate (PET), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE),thermoplastic rubber (TPR), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, andacetal), flexible adhesives (including but not limited to elastomers),biodegradable polymers, biodegradable adhesives, starch basedbiodegradable polymers and adhesives, light activated adhesives, printbonding, electromagnetic wavelength, powder bonding, radio waves, UV,ultra sound, microwaves, saturation, and spray.

A specific example of this third general embodiment provides a blendthat comprises a nonwoven composite that includes a layer or ply ofhighloft polypropylene and a layer or ply of spunbond polypropylenewhich is bonded to a polypropylene sheet or ribbon with polypropyleneadhesive.

As stated, the fourth general embodiment of this invention comprises asingle or multi-ply knitted, woven, or non-woven flexible (elastic) orsemi-flexible (elastic) sleeve and does not include a rigid orsemi-rigid substrate or core. Typically, this sleeve is tubular orsubstantially cylindrical in shape and is compatible with standardrollers. Advantageously, certain embodiments of this sleeve arecollapsible and may be shipped or stocked in a collapsed form forconserving shelf or carton space.

With regard to knitted fabrics, the following exemplary knitted fabricsare compatible with sleeve component of the present invention: sliverknit fabric, weft (circular) knitted fabric, warp knitted fabric (tricotor raschel), fiberlock knitted fabric, single knitted fabric (plainjersey; single jersey fabric); knit (tuck (pique); single pique fabric);flat jaquard (single knit jacquard); terry (terry velour fabric);fleeces (napped or not napped); weft inserted warp knit fabric. Withregard to woven fabrics, the following exemplary woven fabrics arecompatible with the present invention: woven fabric (scrim) and wovenvelvet fabric (pile).

With regard to exemplary fibers that are compatible with thisembodiment, such fibers may include blends of natural and syntheticfibers produced from renewable or non-renewable sources including, butnot limited to the following: polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene,nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, acetate, PCT, PETG,biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starch basedbiodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, PTT fiber, PLA fiber, recycledpolyester (post industrial, post consumer or combinations thereof),cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regenerated cellulose (e.g.,Rayon, Lyocell), wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers, kenaf, bagasse,elastoester, elasterelle-P, PTAT (polytetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate; a biodegradable elastic polyester), spandex,elastan, elastomeric fiber, filaments, or yarns (including binder fiberand splittable bi-component segmented fibers), and combinations thereof.The nonwoven material including fabric, fiber, filaments, yarns, orbacking yarns may be coated or compounded with an infrared absorbingadditive, pigment, ink, dye, or photoinitiators including carbon black.

As stated, the fifth general embodiment of this invention comprises asingle or multi-ply knitted, woven, or non-woven flexible andcollapsible sleeve adapted for use with a roller cage or frame thatincludes a core integrated with the roller cage or frame. In thisembodiment the flexible sleeve is mounted on or otherwise attached to asubstantially cylindrical core component which is formed integrally withthe frame component of the paint roller. The sleeve itself includes anonwoven material that is mechanically needle punched to a sliver knitfabric, woven fabric, or nonwoven material utilizing a tubular nonwovenneedle machine. The sleeve nonwoven material may be ultrasonicallybonded to a sliver knit fabric, woven fabric, or nonwoven materialutilizing a ultrasonic tube former. The sleeve may also include aknitted sock that has been created using a circular knitting machine.

With regard to exemplary fibers that are compatible with thisembodiment, such fibers may include blends of natural and syntheticfibers produced from renewable or non-renewable sources including, butnot limited to the following: polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene,nylon (polyamide), acrylic, modacrylic, acetate, PCT, PETG,biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starch basedbiodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, PTT fiber, PLA fiber, recycledpolyester (post industrial, post consumer or combinations thereof),cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regenerated cellulose (e.g.,Rayon, Lyocell), wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers, kenaf, bagasse,elastoester, elasterelle-P, PTAT (polytetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate; a biodegradable elastic polyester), spandex,elastan, elastomeric fiber, filaments, or yarns (including binder fiberand splittable bi-component segmented fibers), and combinations thereof.

A variety of known roller cover manufacturing techniques and processesare compatible with the roller covers of the present invention.Manufacturing non-woven materials may be accomplished with the processesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,159,134 and 5,572,790 (both issued toSekar). U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,159,134 and 5,572,790 are hereby incorporatedby reference, in their entirety, into this disclosure. In theembodiments of the present invention that include solid cores, themethods and devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,711 issued toRoberts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,279 issued to Humphrey et al., andU.S. Pat. No. 5,537,745 issued to Musch et al. (all assigned to theWooster Brush Company), may be utilized in part or in whole to constructthe roller covers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,231,711 6,199,279 and 5,537,745 areincorporated by reference, herein, in their entirety.

In each of the embodiments disclosed herein, the web or webs ofnon-woven material that are incorporated into or comprise the rollercover can be manufactured using one or more known process technologies.Such process technologies include (i) web formation systems such as drylay, wet lay, air lay (rando web), cross lapping, carding, randomcarding; (ii) resin to web systems such as spun-bond, and melt blown,and (iii) spun lace hydro-entanglement. Web consolidation determines thecharacteristics of the non-woven fabric and such consolidation isachievable by friction bonding resulting from a needling operation.Presumably, finishing of the non-woven fabric or fabrics used in thevarious embodiments of the present invention creates the final desiredcharacteristics of such non-woven fabric.

Another exemplary process useful for manufacturing the non-wovenmaterials of the present invention is referred to as a “needle punch”process. The needle-punch process typically uses barbed needles totransport fiber in a fiber mat or web from the horizontal to the “Z”direction, causing fiber entanglement or fiber interlocking. Thisprocess includes the use of a series of machines, the operation of whichis coordinated to provide a continuous processing of one or more fibertypes into a finished fabric. The series of machines typically includes:feeders, openers, a card, a crosslapper, needle looms, edge slitters,and a winder.

The needle punch process begins with the feeders and the openers, whichare designed to regulate the flow of fiber into the system. Fiber clumpsare reduced in size to enhance consistency of flow, and bundles ofcrimped fiber are ‘opened’ to expose as many individual fibers to thecarding process. Fiber finish, which is a processing aid in the form ofa liquid overspray, may be applied during these initial stages ofpreparing the fibers. Fiber input is electronically metered throughoutthis stage, to enhance weight consistency at the beginning of the webforming, i.e., carding, step. The prepared fibers are then transferredto the card, which includes a number of rotating rolls that are coveredwith saw-toothed wire and set very close together. The fiber passesthrough the rolls and alternates between points where either combing ortransferring takes place. This series of combing and transferring steps,creates a continuous, uniform web of fibers that weighs about one ounceper square yard and that is uniform in width and appearance. This web offibers is then removed from the card and transferred to the crosslapper.

The crosslapper is a series of carrying aprons that receives the cardednon-woven web and delivers it to the needling process in a series oflayers. These layers or ‘laps’ of fabric are built up on a continuouslymoving floor apron, set at right angles to the lapper. The weight andwidth of the fabric can be varied by adjusting the speed of the floorapron, and width of the laydown. The ability to control weight and widthat the crosslapper, gives each needling line the flexibility to run manyfabric constructions.

The needling step begins when the layered fabric is transferred to thefirst needle loom, which is called a tacker or preneedler. Multipleneedle looms are frequently included in an assembly line and the numberand type of looms determines the needling capabilities of each line. Thefabric is passed through each loom at a precisely controlled speed bytwo pair of rollers called, input and output rolls. Inside each loom,the needles are mounted in plates that are bolted to a beam that movesup and down at high rate of speed to permit the needles to ‘punch’ thefabric. Two plates, the stripper plate and bed plate, which are drilledto match the needle pattern, hold the fabric as it passes through andpermit control of the depth of needle penetration. Most looms performconventional needling using needles referred to a “felting” needles.However, in some lines, the last loom contains “fork” needles thatcreate a pile structure on the fabric surface. Instead of a bed plate,these looms typically use a slotted lamella plate (velour), or a movingbrush bed (stratos). At the completion of the needling process, thenon-woven fabric is slit to the finished width, wound into rolls, andpackaged for delivery. Some assembly lines include a “hot can” device.Prior to slitting and winding, the fabric is exposed to the surface ofthe can, and the temperature is controlled to provide the desired amountof densification and/or fusing of the back surface of the fabric.

Use of the non-woven paint roller covers of the present inventioninclude the following advantages: (i) the use of non-woven materials andprocess technologies offers significant cost savings in the manufactureof shed-resistant paint rollers due to high speed manufacturingcapability, high output, no knitting or weaving requirement, and ease ofrecycling; (ii) the use of non-woven process technology allows for awider selection and end use of fibers and/or filaments that are nottypically compatible with knitted and woven industrial pile fabricformulations; (iii) the use of non-woven materials offers versatility inthat the non-woven materials can be easily formulated and blended usingvarious fiber combinations to enhance the performance of a roller coverfor a wide range of coating applications, including the use of solvents,glues, adhesives, and epoxies; (iv) the use of non-woven processtechnology allows for the integration of multiple non-woven materialsand processes to be used in the manufacture of a paint roller cover; and(v) non-woven materials may be easily color-coded to correspond tospecific materials and applications. Additionally, the use of non-wovenfabrics or materials allows for the creation of roller covers that areas effective as woven roller covers, but at a significantly lower pileheight and density. For painting applications, certain non-wovenmaterials are known to exhibit a 65% release rate (of paint), ascompared to a 45% release rate for woven materials.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofexemplary embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have beendescribed in certain detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant torestrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broaderaspects is not limited to any of the specific details, representativedevices and methods, and/or illustrative examples shown and described.Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.

What is claimed:
 1. A roller cover for use with paints and othermaterials, comprising: (a) a surface material; wherein the surfacematerial is substantially free of texture and is adapted to be mountedon a paint roller; wherein the surface material further includes a firstfabric and a second fabric; wherein the first fabric is selected fromthe group consisting of non-woven materials; wherein the second fabricis selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, knit fabrics,and combinations thereof; and wherein the non-woven materials, wovenfabrics, and knit fabrics further include: (i) a plurality of fibers,wherein the plurality of fibers further include natural fibers,synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof; and (ii) wherein theplurality of fibers have been interconnected with one another bymechanical means, chemical means, thermal means, solvent means, sonicmeans, or combinations thereof; and (b) a substrate to which the surfacematerial is attached, wherein the substrate consists of paper, phenolicimpregnated paper, olefin sheets, fabric, metallics, elastomers,non-woven materials, or combinations thereof; and (c) a core to whichthe either the surface material or substrate is attached, wherein thecore further includes non-woven materials, fabric, wood, paper,impregnated phenolic resin paper, silica, metal, paper/olefincomposites, olefin sheets, polyolefin sheets, polypropylene,polyethylene, polyethylenetelephthalate, polyvinyl chloride,thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, nylon, glass fillednylon, acetal, or combinations thereof; and wherein the core ismanufactured by spunbond, meltblown, spunlace, airlaid, wetlaid,highloft, needle punch, or spinlace techniques, or combinations thereof.2. The roller cover of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers furthercomprises: polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, acrylic,modacrylic, acetate, polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate,polyethylene terephthalate, biodegradable polyesters, biodegradablepolymer fibers, starch based biodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber,polytrimethylene terephthalate fiber, polylactide fiber, recycledpolyester, cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regeneratedcellulose, wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers, kenaf, bagasse,elastoester, elasteralle/polyester, poly(tetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate), spandex, elastan, elastomeric fiber,filaments, yarns, or combinations thereof.
 3. The roller cover of claim1, wherein the plurality of fibers are coated or compounded with aninfrared absorbing additive, a pigment, a ink, a dye, a photoinitiator,or combinations thereof.
 4. The roller cover of claim 1, wherein thesurface material is attached to the substrate by mechanical means,chemical means, thermal means, solvent means, sonic means orcombinations thereof.
 5. The roller cover of claim 1, wherein the corefurther comprises thermoplastic, thermoset, or biodegradable materials.6. The roller cover of claim 1, wherein the either the surface materialor the substrate is attached to the core by mechanical means, adhesivemeans, sonic means, light means, or combinations thereof.
 7. A rollercover for use with paints and other materials, comprising; (a) at leastone surface material, wherein the surface material is substantially freeof texture and further includes a first fabric and a second fabric;wherein the first fabric is selected from the group consisting ofnon-woven materials; wherein the second fabric is selected from thegroup consisting of woven fabrics, knit fabrics, and combinationsthereof; and wherein the non-woven materials, woven fabrics, and knitfabrics further include: (i) a plurality of fibers, wherein theplurality of fibers further include natural fibers, synthetic fibers, ora combination thereof; and (ii) wherein the plurality of fibers havebeen interconnected with one another by mechanical means, chemicalmeans, thermal means, solvent means, sonic means, or combinationsthereof; and (b) a substrate to which the surface material of the rollercover is attached, wherein the substrate consists of paper, phenolicimpregnated paper, olefin sheets, fabric, metallics, elastomers,non-woven materials, or combinations thereof; and (c) a core to whicheither the surface material or the substrate is attached, wherein thecore further includes non-woven materials, fabric, wood, paper,impregnated phenolic resin paper, silica, metal, paper/olefincomposites, olefin sheets, polyolefin sheets, polypropylene,polyethylene, polyethylenetelephthalate, polyvinyl chloride,thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, nylon, glass fillednylon, acetal, or combinations thereof; and wherein the core ismanufactured by spunbond, meltblown, spunlace, airlaid, wetlaid,highloft, needle punch, or spinlace techniques, or combinations thereof.8. The roller cover of claim 7, wherein the plurality of fibers furthercomprises: polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, acrylic,modacrylic, acetate, polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate,polyethylene terephthalate, biodegradable polyesters, biodegradablepolymer fibers, starch based biodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber,polytrimethylene terephthalate fiber, polylactide fiber, recycledpolyester, cotton, recycled cotton, cellulose fiber, regeneratedcellulose, wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bast fibers, kenaf, bagasse,elastoester, elasteralle/polyester, poly(tetramethyleneadipate-co-terephthalate), spandex, elastan, elastomeric fiber,filaments, yarns, or combinations thereof.
 9. The roller cover of claim7, wherein the plurality of fibers are coated or compounded with aninfrared absorbing additive, a pigment, a ink, a dye, a photoinitiator,or combinations thereof.
 10. The roller cover of claim 7 wherein thesurface material is attached to the substrate by mechanical means,chemical means, thermal means, solvent means, sonic means orcombinations thereof.
 11. The roller cover of claim 7, wherein the corefurther comprises thermoplastic, thermoset, or biodegradable materials.12. The roller cover of claim 7, wherein the substrate is attached tothe core by mechanical means, adhesive means, sonic means, light means,or combinations thereof.
 13. A roller cover for use with paints andother materials, comprising: (a) at least one surface material, whereinthe surface material is substantially free of texture and furtherincludes a first fabric and a second fabric; wherein the first fabric isselected from the group consisting of non-woven materials; wherein thesecond fabric is selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics,knit fabrics, and combinations thereof; and wherein the non-wovenmaterials, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics further include: (i) aplurality of fibers, wherein the plurality of fibers further includenatural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof; and (ii)wherein the plurality of fibers have been interconnected with oneanother by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means, solventmeans, sonic means, or combinations thereof; and (b) a substrate towhich the non-woven material of the roller cover is attached, whereinthe substrate consists of paper, phenolic impregnated paper, olefinsheets, fabric, metallics, elastomers, non-woven materials, orcombinations thereof; and wherein the surface material is attached tothe substrate by mechanical means, chemical means, thermal means,solvent means, sonic means or combinations thereof; and (c) a core towhich the substrate is attached, wherein the core further includesnon-woven materials, fabric, wood, paper, impregnated phenolic resinpaper, silica, metal, paper/olefin composites, olefin sheets, polyolefinsheets, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylenetelephthalate,polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer,nylon, glass filled nylon, acetal, or combinations thereof; wherein thecore is manufactured by spunbond, meltblown, spunlace, airlaid, wetlaid,highloft, needle punch, or spinlace techniques, or combinations thereof;and wherein the core further comprises thermoplastic, thermoset, orbiodegradable materials.
 14. The roller cover of claim 13, wherein theplurality of fibers further comprises: polyesters, polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon, acrylic, modacrylic, acetate,polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate,biodegradable polyesters, biodegradable polymer fibers, starch basedbiodegradable polymer fibers, microfiber, polytrimethylene terephthalatefiber, polylactide fiber, recycled polyester, cotton, recycled cotton,cellulose fiber, regenerated cellulose, wool, flax, silk, bamboo, bastfibers, kenaf, bagasse, elastoester, elasteralle/polyester,poly(tetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate), spandex, elastan,elastomeric fiber, filaments, yarns, or combinations thereof.
 15. Theroller cover of claim 13, wherein the plurality of fibers are coated orcompounded with an infrared absorbing additive, a pigment, a ink, a dye,a photoinitiator, or combinations thereof.